Motor Assist is calling for the accident aftercare industry to implement an EV-for-EV guarantee, enabling drivers of electric vehicles to remain in an electric car if they require a temporary replacement.
The new standard proposed by Motor Assist would require insurers and accident management providers to supply an EV replacement while a customer’s electric car is off the road following a non-fault accident.
The proposal has the support of 88%[i] of electric car drivers (rising to 94% amongst those aged 65 and over) who said they strongly or somewhat agree that they should be entitled to an equivalent electric vehicle.
In the UK, drivers are entitled to an equivalent replacement vehicle if they are involved in an accident that is not their fault, but this does not require accident aftercare companies or insurers to provide a vehicle with the same powertrain.
The EV-for-EV guarantee was introduced to help boost the sustainability credentials of its insurer, fleet and dealership partners while supporting the UK’s transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles.
The new survey from Motor Assist has found that more than two thirds (67%)[ii] of EV drivers would be likely to refuse an ICE replacement car if their vehicle was off the road due to an accident that was not their fault.
An industry-wide guarantee will benefit drivers and the sector’s commercial partners, while demonstrating a commitment to sustainable mobility in the lead up to the ban on the sale of new ICE cars.
Since the beginning of 2023, AX and Motor Assist have provided nearly three thousand electric vehicle loan cars to EV drivers who have been involved in an accident.
Despite reduced demand for EVs earlier this year, battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales were up 18.8% in July compared to the same month last year, resulting in an overall market share of 18.5% according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Trader (SMMT).
When asked why they think that electric car drivers should receive an electric vehicle as a replacement following an accident, 46% of respondents said that it wouldn’t seem fair to have to step back into a diesel or petrol car.
Nearly half of respondents (45%) also said that they would not want to go back to petrol or diesel cars for environmental reasons.
Scott Hamilton-Cooper, Chief Commercial Officer at AX, said: "We were the first to introduce an EV-for-EV guarantee and after its successful implementation three years ago, we have raised the bar again with EValuate, our EV for ICE test drive initiative.
“The feedback we've received and the research we have conducted shows that customers, both drivers and fleet managers, want this commitment to be more widespread.
“As well as offering convenience and continuity, it reduces average CO2 emissions for our business while helping the fleets, insurers, and dealers we work with to minimise their environmental impact, too.”
Introduced earlier this year, AX also launched its EValuate service, which gives petrol, diesel and hybrid car drivers the opportunity to experience an EV replacement vehicle while their own vehicle is being repaired following an accident. When asked whether they think drivers of petrol and diesel cars should be given the opportunity to try an electric courtesy car if they are involved in an accident, 84% of respondents said they should.
Notes
[i] 57% of respondents to the Motor Assist survey of 500 electric vehicle drivers strongly agree and 31% somewhat agree that drivers of electric vehicles should be entitled to an equivalent electric vehicle replacement while theirs is off the road due to an accident that was not their fault.
[ii] When asked how likely or unlikely they would be to refuse a petrol or diesel replacement vehicle while their EV was being repaired following an accident that was not their fault, 31.4% said very likely and 35.2% said somewhat likely
